Jonathan Scales

Jonathan L. Scales
Jonathan L. Scales
	Scales at Béle Chére on July 23, 2010
Background information
Birth name	Jonathan Scales
Born	September 14, 1984 (age 40); San Francisco
Origin	Asheville, North Carolina, US
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, world music
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter, composer,
Instrument	Steel Pan Drums
Years active	2006–present
Website	www.jonscales.com

Jonathan Scales (born September 14, 1984) is an American steel pannist and composer. He has recorded and produced seven albums, the most recent being Mindstate Music, released in 2019 on Ropeadope Records. Since 2007, Scales has recorded and performed with Victor Wooten, Howard Levy, The Duhks, Roy "Future Man" Wooten, Jeff Coffin, Jeff Sipe, Casey Driessen, Oteil Burbridge, Kofi Burbridge, Yonrico Scott, and Béla Fleck whom Scales describes as his "musical hero".^[1] His albums have been reviewed by Modern Drummer^[2] and JazzTimes.^[3] Scales graduated from Appalachian State University in 2006.

Early life and career

Scales was born in San Francisco and was raised in a military family, spending time in Maryland, Virginia, Fort Bragg, and Germany before settling in North Carolina around the age of fifteen.^[4]^[5] A saxophonist since high school, Scales took up the steelpan in 2002 and fell in love with the sound of the instrument.^[6] Scales enrolled at Appalachian State University in 2002, and after graduating, he formed the jazz fusion quartet Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. The band's collaborative debut, Fourchestra, was released in 2013 on Ropeadope Records. 2014 ushered in Mixtape Symphony, a long-form album inspired by Roy "Future Man" Wooten, also released on Ropeadope Records, featuring compositions by both Scales and bassist Cody Wright.^[7]

Discography

As solo artist

One Track Mind, 2007
Plot/Scheme, 2008
Character Farm and Other Short Stories, 2011

with Fourchestra

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, 2013 (Ropeadope)
Mixtape Symphony, 2014 (Ropeadope)
Pillar, 2018 (Ropeadope)
Mindstate Music, 2019 (Ropeadope)
Re-Potted, 2023 (Le'Rue)

References

^ Mohamed, Suraya (February 7, 2020). "Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. 6:35. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
^ Potter, Jeff (August 15, 2013). "Jonathan Scales Fourquestra Review". Modern Drummer. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
^ Milkowski, Bill (April 25, 2019). "Jonathan Scales: Plot/Scheme". JazzTimes. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
^ Tolleson, Robin (July 1, 2013). "It's Complicated". Bold Life. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
^ Wildsmith, Steve (June 12, 2013). "Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: Steel pan fusion not conventionally defined". The Daily Times. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
^ Himes, Geoffrey (January 9, 2019). "Jonathan Scales Extends Steel Pan Territory". DownBeat. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
^ Perlmutter, Adam (April 25, 2019). "Jonathan Scales: Panning for Jazz". JazzTimes. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

External links

Official website
Interview with Bob Danziger from the California State University, Monterey Bay Jazz Interview Archive

[1] Mohamed, Suraya (February 7, 2020). "Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: Tiny Desk Concert". NPR. 6:35. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

[2] Potter, Jeff (August 15, 2013). "Jonathan Scales Fourquestra Review". Modern Drummer. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

[3] Milkowski, Bill (April 25, 2019). "Jonathan Scales: Plot/Scheme". JazzTimes. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

[4] Tolleson, Robin (July 1, 2013). "It's Complicated". Bold Life. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

[5] Wildsmith, Steve (June 12, 2013). "Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: Steel pan fusion not conventionally defined". The Daily Times. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

[6] Himes, Geoffrey (January 9, 2019). "Jonathan Scales Extends Steel Pan Territory". DownBeat. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

[7] Perlmutter, Adam (April 25, 2019). "Jonathan Scales: Panning for Jazz". JazzTimes. Retrieved October 11, 2022.

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